Category: Committee

Shift and Seniority Committee

Your Union is looking for anyone interested in joining their respective department Shift, Seniority and Overtime committee’s. Anyone interested is asked to email m.day@usw5890.com. Currently the Steel Division is Brad Gibbons and Bill Edwards and we would like to fill with members from other areas. The Tubular Division is Dwayne Mitchell, Mike Smith and Ryan Mckenzie and even though we would like to fill from members from the 2 inch or 24 inch specifically, everyone interested will be looked at.

Chain/ corporate contracting out meeting

Members from your local Bargaining Committee were in Calgary on Nov 9th &10th to meet with the Calgary Bargaining team{usw 6673} and Evraz management.  The 9th  was our first chain meeting between the 2 locals. It was good to get the 2 locals together and put together a rough timeline of all the work that we will need to complete to be fully prepared for bargaining. We talked about what was effective and what needed improvement through the bargaining process and have identified some things we hope to change.

The second day had us in meetings with Evraz management to discuss Long Term Capitol Investment/Corporate Contracting Out. Management talked about the ongoing expansion in both Regina Steel and Tubular divisions. It was good to hear them say they look at the investment in the Steel division as a 25 year investment. On the downside to that though they are predicting a lower output but hope to be running full by Jan 2017. For the Tubular division, orders look good for large diameter. The 2 inch mill will still be at a high level of uncertainty. The company is still fighting the reduction on Imports and the ability for us to make the steel is advantageous for us.

Discussion then moved on to the Contracting out and the issues around that. Though some issues between Calgary and Regina were similar the biggest common concern was the Apprenticeship Program and the fact that no new employee’s have been joining the program.We also laid out issues we have with the new Mill 5 expansion,Finishing 2 project, Dj expansion and maintenance contracting out. All of the talks seemed to fall on receptive ears from the company and hopefully they will give us responses to the issues in a timely matter.

 

In Solidarity

THE NOMINEES FOR THE ELECTION OF THE FOLLOWING LOCAL UNION EXECUTIVE POSITIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS;

President –Mike Day (Acclaimed)

Vice President – Corey Liebrecht
                           –  Scott Mackie

Recording Secretary – Courtland Klein (Acclaimed)

Financial Secretary – Dave McAlpin
                                    – Tory Sand

Treasurer – Dana Faul (Acclaimed)

Chief Shop Steward Pipe –  Ryan Makenzie
                                              – Mike Smith

Chief Shop Steward Steel – John Forster (Acclaimed)

Chief Shop Steward O&T – Paul Euteneier
                                             – Kim Roberts

Guide – Vasco D’Almeida (Acclaimed)

Outside Guard –  Andrew Polishak (Acclaimed)

Inside Guard – Trent Gagner (Acclaimed)

Trustees (3) Positions –  Kurt Chernishenko
                                         – Doug Massier
                                         – Scott Trenamann
                                         – Ryan Sande
                                         –  Nick Little

Congratulations to the members who were acclaimed to their respected positions and good luck to all the nominees. April election date TBA.

New Shop Stewards

We are pleased to announce that Sister Shannon Fletcher who has been a member of the local for 4 years and Brother Joe Semere who has been a member for 20 years, have been nominated and accepted by the membership to become shop stewards. Please welcome Sister Fletcher who works in the Operations Building and Brother Semere who works in the Melt Shop to their new roles.

In Solidarity!

Anti-Harassment Committee

The local is looking for members that would have an interest in taking anti-harassment workplace training through the Steelworkers. This course will provide you with important tools to guide co-workers to understand why harassment occurs, why it’s harmful and ensure that it doesn’t happen. You will also learn how to investigate complaints and mediate incidents that may arise among workers. If you would like to submit your name for training please do so by contacting Denise  at the Union office (306) 569-9663.

Solidarity Forever!

Job Evaluation Pilot Committee

Will be meeting on Feb 8th at 9am. Our focus will be the evaluation of O&T jobs and any outstanding issues that need to be addressed. The Union has been prepared and committed to meeting regularly with the Company and will continue to make every effort so the committee can complete its mandate.

Solidarity Forever!

New Inspector Rates (Spiral Mill)

These rates came into effect August 25th 2012 but were not updated by HR & Payroll till Nov. 7th. Any members that are working at these jobs listed below or have worked one of these jobs since August 25th should keep track over the up coming pay periods (starting Nov 23rd) to see if your rate has been adjusted and any back pay owning has been corrected. If it has not then we recommend you see your supervisor at that time.

Continue reading New Inspector Rates (Spiral Mill)

Women Of Steel

Our National Women’s Conference “Working Women, Working Union” will be held November 14-16, 2012 at the Holiday Inn, Toronto, Yorkdale.

The conference theme this year is “Working Women, Working Union”. We will reflect on the progress to date on achieving equality – is there a union advantage? We will identify the steps women and women’s committees are taking to move the equality agenda forward and together develop strategies to organize and engage women to advance our objectives at the bargaining table and through political action.

Continue reading Women Of Steel

Chubb Card Update

As everyone should already know Evraz has stated they intend to implement a time clock system or “Chubb card” system starting on October 21. There have been many questions from many members regarding this new system and how it is going to address issues such as shift start-end times, changing clothes, clean up time and overtime. There is a meeting scheduled on October 11 involving  both Pipe and Steel Seniority, Shift and Overtime Committee’s and Evraz. Evraz representatives have stated they intend to address all of this issues with reliable answers.

There will be an update on this subject on October 12 or October 11. Please check back here.

Drug and Alcohol Reasonable Suspicion Workshop

Locals 5890 and 6673 (Calgary) attended a workshop in Regina on September 17 to educate stewards in the process of assessing and  determining impairment. This workshop has provided stewards the knowledge to properly and effectively recognize a worker that may be under the suspected use of drugs or alcohol in the workplace.  It is important for our Union stewards and OHS members to be proficient in assessing workers for impairment. The local believes that in the past Evraz has overstepped it rights to test members for drugs and alcohol. The purposes of the training is to keep our workplace safe from drugs and alcohol and to protect our members from unwarranted and unreasonable submissions to testing.

Membership & Benefit Society Meetings

A Local 5890 monthly Membership meeting will be held on Sept 17th at the Regina Union Center, 2709 12th Ave. at 7:30pm sharp. Agenda will be the presenting of financial reports. The swearing in of new members. Reports from committees, schools and conferences. Unfinished business and new business that arises.

A Benefit Society meeting will be held on Sept 20th at the Italian Club, 2148 Connaught St. at 7pm. Agenda will be the nomination of new Executive positions to the Society. Explaination of new By-Laws. Q & A. * (Only Benefit Society Members will be allowed at this meeting)*. Meaning if dues for the Society are deducted from your check then you are a member.

Please make every effort to make it to one of these meetings.

In Solidarity!

New Top Officer

With a unanimous vote of confidence by the Local Executive, we would like to welcome Brother Vasco D’Almeida as the new Vice President of 5890.  We ask the members to extend your support to Brother D’Almeida as he transitions into his new role.

Resignation of Ian Gretchen

The Union would like to inform the membership that Ian Gretchen has tendered his resignation as President along with all other committees and functions within the Local. In keeping with the local by-laws of the USW, Corey Liebrecht now holds the position of President. The vacancy for Vice President will be filled accordingly by the Local Union Executive ASAP.

In Solidarity

United Steel Workers District 3 Summer School

Summer school this year will be held in Kimberly BC the week of June 17-22. Classes available are:

  • Advanced Grievance Handling
  • Collective Bargaining- Bargaining to win
  • Facing Management
  • Occupational Health and Safety
  • Leadership for Action
  • Communication

For more information please contact one of the Executive Committee Members, a Chief Shop Steward or a Health and Safety Representative

Notice of Nominations for Executive Positions

Nominations for the following Local Union Exectutive Positions will be held on March 19, 2012 at the Regina Union Center (2709 12th Avenue)

The Positions are :

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Recording Secretary
  • Financial Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Trustees (3)
  • Guide
  • Inside Guard
  • Outside Guard
  • Chief Shop Steward (Steel)
  • Chief Shop Steward (Pipe)
  • Chief Shop Steward (Office and Technical)
  • Bargaining Committee Member (Office and Technical)
  • Bargaining Committee Member ( Production and Maintence)

If you are nominating an individual who will be unable to attend the nomination meeting. Nomination forms can be obtained from Denise a the Union office (569 9663) or email her at dmanz@usw.ca. Please ensure the form is returned to Denise prior to March 19 so it may be presented at the nomination meeting.

Nominations will close at the membership meeting.

Please only submit “one” nomination per person

Local Union Election Manual

Job Evaluation Pilot Project

The job evaluation committee has met 3 times and has evalutated  eight of the jobs off the list agreed to at bargaining. The system we are now using is one that the union committee came up with and has simplified the process of evaluating a job.

We have went from using 12 factors to 6 and are not constrained by the rules of Cooperative Wage Study. The committe is working well and actually accomplishing a lot which didn’t really happen that much when Cws was used.

Of the jobs evaluated 5 received increases.  Caster Helper increased from JC 10 to JC 12, Strand Operator increased  from JC 22 to JC 24, Ladle Controller increased from JC 16 to JC 18,  Oiler/Greaser increased from JC 8 to JC 11 and EAF Helper increased from JC 8 to JC 10.

Going forward the Company seems to like the system we came up with and I believe we will evaluate all the jobs we have with the new system so we will be back to having all jobs that we lost through bargaining over the years.

Reported by Steve Machuk

AON Hewitt Custom Survey

There is a conference call scheduled  with AON Hewitt and both locals (5890 and 6673) and the Company on Wednesday for further planning of the survey of trade and tech rates withing 400 km of Regina and Calgary. The parties plan on finalizing some of the details of the survey and dates for a meeting. Further details will be reported at the Membership Meeting on Monday February 27.